Several studies have emphasized the significance of neoangiogenesis for tumor growth and progression, but few have focused on malignant hematological disorders. We studied vascular density and architecture in bone marrow samples of patients with chronic myeloproliferative disease (MPD). Vascular structures were immunostained (for von Willebrand factor/ FVIII-RAG, CD 31/PECAM or Ulex europeus I for vessels and for vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) in samples from patients with polycythemia vera (PV) (n ‫؍‬ 7), chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) (n ‫؍‬ 9), and myelofibrosis (MF) (n ‫؍‬ 6) when diagnosed and were compared with normal bone marrow specimens (n ‫؍‬ 9). We observed that the mean (؎ SD) vessel count per high-power microscopy field (HPF) was 5.

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Summary Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material from 57 patients in whom curative resection of pancreatic carcinoma had been attempted was analysed by an immunohistochemical procedure to estimate proliferation and p53 protein expression. Using the monoclonal antibody (MAb) MIB-1, which recognizes a Ki-67 epitope, the proliferating cell index (PCI, percentage of immunoreactive tumour nuclei) and proliferating cell area (PCA, percentage of immunoreactive tumour nuclear area) were calculated using an interactive image analysis system and were compared with semiquantitative scoring of stainability. MAb DO-7, which recognizes both wild-and mutant-type p53 protein, was used to assess p53 expression in the same material. MIB-1 stainings were of high quality in 53 tumours. The median PCI was 29.7% (range 0.5-82.1%) and the median PCA was 10.6% (range 0.0-36.5%). There was a close correlation between PCI and PCA (P< 0.0001). PCI and PCA values were in conformity with the semiquantitative scoring (P < 0.0001). The p53 immunohistochemical stainings were successful in 48 tumours and the protein was expressed in 22 (46%). High PCI values (> 45%, n = 14) correlated with shorter survival time (P < 0.01). PCA (P < 0.05) and the expression of p53 protein (P < 0.001) were independent prognostic variables.Keywords: pancreatic carcinoma; Ki-67 antigen; p53; immunohistochemistry; prognosis Different epitopes of the Ki-67 antigen (Ki-67, Ki-S 1, Ki-S5, MIB-1-3) have been used to estimate proliferation in various tumours (Kelleher et al, 1994). The proliferating rate has often been described as a proliferating cell index (PCI) (Pinder et al, 1995) or has been scored subjectively (Railo et al, 1993;Lam et al, 1996). The PCI may be calculated with or without the use of interactive image analysis systems (Pinder et al, 1995;Lam et al, 1996).The more recently developed MIB antibodies exhibit a pattern of immunostaining in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material identical with that of Ki-67 antibodies in fresh or frozen material (McCormick et al, 1993) and correlate with other markers of proliferation (Weidner et al, 1994). Thus, expression of the Ki-67 antigen has been used in studies on archival tumour material and has been correlated with patient survival time (Railo et al, 1993;Pinder et al, 1995). p53 alterations may be detected at the protein level by immunohistochemical staining procedures (IHC) and at the DNA or RNA level by direct sequence studies (Bodner et al, 1992;Berrozpe et al, 1994). The presence of p53 abnormalities correlates in some tumours with short survival time (Isola et al, 1992;Martin et al, 1992;Hamelin et al, 1994). Only a few studies have been published on the prognostic value of p53 alterations in pancreatic carcinoma, and the results are contradictory (DiGiuseppe et al, 1994;Lundin et al, 1996). Received 29 August 1996Revised 17 December 1996 Accepted 3 January 1997Correspondence to: S LinderWe assessed the proliferating activity in pancreatic carcinoma using IHC on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material...

Of 300 diminutive polyps (up to 5 mm) found at colonoscopy, 114 were neoplastic (37 per cent) and thus possible precursors of carcinoma. This suggests that all colonic polyps, regardless of size, should if possible be extirpated or coagulated. As polyps of this small size often escape detection roentgenologically, especially by conventional technique, colonoscopy should be extended to involve the entire colon. This is because diminutive polyps, especially of neoplastic type, are common also in the proximal part of the colon.

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Radiography of the colon with double-contrast technique was performed directly after total colonoscopy with multiple biopsies in 50 patients with ulcerative colitis. In two-thirds of the series the inflammatory lesions were found to be more widespread at colonoscopy than on radiography. Signs of colitis in an even larger part of the bowel were found on examination of the biopsies in half of the cases. The distribution of characteristic inflammatory changes seen at colonoscopy was also studied. The frequency of the lesions was found to be relatively low in the rectum and highest in the descending and sigmoid parts of the colon.

The metabolism of [3H] estrone sulfate was studied in endometrial tissue obtained from postmenopausal women with atrophic endometrium (I), benign endometrial proliferative changes (II) and endometrial carcinoma (III) and in perimenopausal women with proliferative (IV) and secretory (V) endometrium. Total hydrolysis (i.e. formation of [3H] estrone + [3H] estradiol-17 beta) of [3H] estrone sulfate as well as formation of [3H] estradiol-17 beta only was significantly less in group I than in the other groups. The formation of [3H] estradiol-17 beta was greater in group V than in the other groups. It is speculated that formation of estradiol-17 beta in the endometrium from estrone sulfate may be of importance in the genesis of endometrial disorders in the postmenopausal woman.

The introduction of combined modality treatment has only marginally affected the prognosis in nonresectable pancreatic carcinoma. Evaluation of easily accessible prognostic variables could be of clinical importance when selecting patients for proper therapy. DNA ploidy and morphometric variables were chosen as prognostic markers and assessed on cytologic material obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) from 128 patients with pancreatic carcinoma. The nuclear DNA content was measured by image cytometry. Patients were categorized as short-term (< or = 6 mo) and long-term survivors (> 6 mo). Ninety-eight of 116 nonresectable patients were possible to evaluate. There were significant differences between short- and long-term survivors with regard to DNA ploidy (p < 0.01) and the morphonuclear variable anisokaryosis (p < 0.001). In patients with either DNA aneuploid tumors or anisokaryosis > or = 0.6, the survival time was 6 mo or less in 85 and 93%, respectively. When both these criteria were fulfilled, only 5% survived for more than 6 mo. Thus, DNA ploidy and morphometry, separately or in combination, may provide prognostic information in nonresectable pancreatic carcinoma.